MC5-Urban+Ecology

Marsh Creek Site 5 Urban Ecology

**__Overview __**
USDA Tree Risk Assessment was carried out once at every site during the sites' monitoring period with the intention of evaluating the urban ecology area adjacent to the waterbody. The objective of this assessment is to evaluate defective parts in selected trees and their respective risk of failure and hazard.

__Data Collected __
Trees at Marsh Creek site 5 are predominantly healthy and have a low probability of target. Overall, the most common defects were Poor Tree Architecture: Leaning Trees, Poor Tree Architecture, and Weak Branch Union. Some trees also have large vine growth likely to increase their risk rating in the future. As the table above indicates, trees risk rating range from 3 to 5, and the average risk rating is 3.4. Follow the link below for the Watershed Assessment and Analysis 2012 collective Urban Ecology data.


 * ~ Marsh Creek Trees 1-5 ||
 * [[image:watershed2012/MC1.JPG width="144" height="192"]] || [[image:watershed2012/MC2.JPG width="144" height="192"]] || [[image:watershed2012/MC3.JPG width="144" height="192"]] || [[image:watershed2012/MC4.JPG width="144" height="192"]] || [[image:watershed2012/MC5.JPG width="144" height="192"]] ||




 * ~ Marsh Creek Trees 6-10 ||
 * [[image:watershed2012/MC6.JPG width="144" height="192"]] || [[image:watershed2012/MC7.JPG width="144" height="192"]] || [[image:watershed2012/MC8.JPG width="144" height="192"]] || [[image:watershed2012/photo 16.JPG width="144" height="192"]] || [[image:watershed2012/MC10.JPG width="144" height="192"]] ||

**__Visual-Biological Factors__**
The observed wildlife at the Marsh Creek study area consisted of mammals and the resident fish in the creek. The only mammals that could be identified were deer, as evident by their tracks around the right bank (looking upstream). There was an abundant amount fish found at Marsh Creek, ranging from small (1-2") to medium sized (3-6"). The larger fish were primarily located in the shaded pools towards the end of the study area, while small schools of the smaller fish were found in nearly all locations with the exception of the riffle by the bridge. There we no barriers to hinder the movement of the fish, and the creek was also devoid of any aquatic plant life in the study area, with the exception of algae. There was an occasional coating of both brown and green algae on some of the submerged rocks along both banks, as well as some filamentous brown and green algae. The group members also observed a few small free-floating clumps of algae on the surface of the water. Despite the tall trees found on the rigth side of the bank, the study area received a large amount of sun, being only approximately 20% shaded.

Watershed Level Urban Ecology data can be found here. USDA Community Tree Evalutation forms can be found [|here.]

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